The Stolen Queen

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of gender discrimination.

“After a decade and a half of living in Frederick’s shadow, Charlotte might finally have a chance to shine.”

This quotation describes Charlotte’s feelings of optimism at the start of the novel as she prepares to share her research about Hathorkare. Charlotte reacts strongly to her research being stolen because it represents years of work and the potential for people to finally recognize and value her expertise. Charlotte is eager at the opportunity to “shine” instead of remaining in her boss’s “shadow,” which highlights the Negative Responses to Women’s Ambition that she has experienced in her career.

“Historians ignored all the good Hathorkare accomplished during her reign […] instead, she was unilaterally disdained and dismissed.”

This quotation describes how historians perceive Hathorkare at the start of the novel. Charlotte is invested in her research not only because of a desire to establish her reputation but also because she wants to challenge an existing historical narrative shaped by misogyny. Historians project their suspicions of female ambition onto Hathorkare, and Charlotte wants to challenge this narrative.

“The Cerulean Queen gave her hope. Hope that one could be broken and crushed and still carry on, the gleaming remnant proof that something beautiful once existed in this terrible world.”

This quotation reveals how Charlotte sees the fragmented statue of the Cerulean Queen as a symbol of the Resilience in the Face of Personal Loss that women possess. Charlotte suffers for decades because she carries a quiet grief that no one sees, and this makes her feel “broken and crushed.